Intense heat is with us again--temps in the upper 90's with the heat index pushing 110 today with a small chance of rain. We increase the rain chances closer to the weekend.

Expect smoke in the air in Nassau County and throughout SE Georgia today--smoke from the Honey Prairie fire in the Okefenokee Swamp.

Almost 300,000 acres have been scorched by wildfires so far with no end in sight due to the drought. Within a 50 mile radius of Jacksonville, 157 wildfires are burning actively. Most are contained and are being closely monitored. Burn bans are in effect but for the moment 4th of July fireworks organized by towns will still be on so long as they're held on barges or over water and have the proper saferty equipment and personnel.

Our Top Local Story: The wildfire fight has turned deadly--two Division of Forestry workers were killed while working on a new fire in Hamilton County--not far from I-10 and I-75. Two other firefighters were treated for smoke related injuries.

Our Top National Story: Another Republican joins the race for the White House today. Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman will make his announcement with the Statue of Liberty in the background--taken from the playbook of Ronald Reagan.  Hear Jamie Dupree explain why there is so much attention Rick Perry's decision.  The Governor of Texas is being heavily recruited as an alternative to frontrunner Mitt Romney.

America's future in Afghanistan will be defined by the President tomorrow. A troop drawdown was expected to begin next month but the size and scope of the withdrawl was still under consideration as of Monday.

The Senate is expected to easily approve the nomination of Leon Panetta as Defense Secretary, replacing Robert Gates.

The end of the congressional career of Anthony Weiner comes today when his resignation letter is read in the House of Representatives this afternoon.  Hear Jamie Dupree explain what Weiner wrote in his resignation letter.

The National Weather Service says Tropical Storm Beatriz has reached hurricane strength, as its heavy rains and strong winds have begun pounding resort beaches on Mexico's Pacific coast. Authorities closed the popular tourist ports of Acapulco and Manzanillo ahead of the hurricane's arrival.

Plans to close the street in front of the new courthouse in downtown Jacksonville are on hold. A city council committee rejected the proposal to close Monroe Street and turn it into a plaza.

Votes for building a new Greyhound bus terminal near the heart of downtown Jacksonville, may have to wait until the new administration takes office. The plan didn't get past the City Council Rules Committee in a 5-1 vote...with Committee Chairwoman Denise Lee the only yes vote.

A former Jacksonville police officer will spend the next decade in prison after pleading guilty to transporting cocaine. Carl Kohn Jr. was kicked off the force in 1999 after selling cocaine from his patrol car while in uniform. He served prison time for that but he returned to a life of drugs after his trucking business collapsed amid the recession.

Florida's largest teachers' union is leading a multi-labor group lawsuit against the state, as they fight to overturn a new 3% payroll contribution to their retirement. FEA President Andy Ford calls the new ruling unconstitutional.

With below average test scores keeping North Shore K-8 and Jackson, Raines and Ribault high schools in intervene status, Duval County Schools Superintendent Ed Pratt Dannals is making one more attempt to throw those schools a life line. He's requesting one more year to turn the test scores around.

The cost of an Orlando vacation just went up by a few more dollars. The price of a Disney World ticket was recently hiked up, now Universal Orlando is following in the steps of the "Mouse House", taking their one-day ticket fees from $82 to $85.